Zoonoses
Believe it or not, you can both catch ‘stuff’ from your rabbit and also pass ‘stuff’ on to them and whilst it is fairly rare to do so, it is worth being aware of the risks. For the average human with a healthy immune system the risk of serious infection is low and of far greater risk is a bite or scratch becoming infected.
Rabbit to Human Transmission
First up DON’T PANIC! Although it can happen, it is very rare!
Common sense hygiene, like washing your hands after handling your rabbit and before eating, will minimise the chances of contracting one of these zoonotic diseases. It also minimises the chances of any of these diseases being passed from humans to your rabbit which is a reverse zoonosis.
Some of the things that can pass from your rabbit to you are -
* Bacteria - Infection with bacteria such a Pasteurella multocida via bites and scratches.
* Fleas, Ticks & Lice - If a rabbit has fleas they have usually caught them from another animal in the household.
* Fur mites - These can hope aboard a human as well and can cause very itchy rashes before dying.
* Ringworm - Our rabbits can also very occasionally get Ringworm, which as we know is very contagious between species.
* Protozoa - Giardia can infect both humans and rabbits but transmission between species seems to be very rare. Another serious Protozoa is
- Toxoplasmosis which is more commonly known to infect cats but the only risk to humans from a rabbit with Toxo is if they eat undercooked rabbit meat as it is not transmitted via rabbit faeces.
- EC/Encephaltozoon cuniculi can be transmitted to humans but only causes issues in severely immunocompromised individuals.
- Cryptosporidiosis is an intestinal protozoal infection which ca be transmitted via infected faeces due to poor hygiene pratices. A rabbit with Crypto would usually have diarrhoea.
* Intestinal Parasites - There are some tapeworms which affect both rabbits and humans but they can not be passed on through the faeces (as can occur in some cat and dog worms) but only through the consumption of undercooked rabbit meat.
Human to Rabbit Transmission
The biggest risk to your rabbit from you is from the Herpes Simplex Virus - or the common coldsore. There have been cases of this being transmitted to pet rabbits after their owners kissed their rabbit near their eyes, nose and mouth. In one case, the rabbit started off with a decreased appetite and excessive tear production (epiphora) in one eye. Then other signs of eye and neurological disease developed. Despite aggressive treatment, the rabbit deteriorated and was euthanised after a week of hospitalisation. Subsequent testing identified human herpesvirus type 1 in the rabbit’s brain. so, obviously caution is advised if you have a coldsore - wash your hands before handling your rabbit and don’t kiss your rabbit.
Copyright 2019 - Jen Herd/Westley’s World
Further Reading
Zoonoses
http://www.medirabbit.com/Zoonotic/Zoonotic_main.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/Zoonotic/Zoonotic_main.htm
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/ownership/pet-rabbits-health/
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Viral_diseases/Herp/Herpes_en.htm